If you use a Mac daily for work, it's very likely that Slack should be the center of almost all your communication with the team. What you might not be so clear about is that, depending on how you configure and use it, it can be your best ally for increasing productivity… or a constant source of distractions. The difference isn't in the app itself, but in the tricks you know and the habits you develop around it.
In this guide you will find a very complete compilation of tricks, shortcuts, productivity tips and less visible features of Slack on MacWe'll combine the basics everyone should master with more advanced features: text formatting, reminders, GIFs, polls, channel management, automations, keyboard shortcuts, Google Drive integrations, calendar, and much more. Everything will be explained in clear, approachable Spanish, designed so you can start using it today.
Format your messages in Slack: text that's easy to understand at a glance
One of the most common mistakes is writing in Slack as if it were just any chat, when in reality A good message format helps people quickly understand what is important and what is not.From Mac you can apply basic styles using symbols or very simple keyboard shortcuts.
To write in bold font, surround the word or phrase with two asterisks or use the keyboard shortcut on Mac: Cmd+BThus, something like important It will be highlighted and easier to locate when someone reviews the channel later.
If you want to mark something in Cursive, wrap the text in underscores or press Cmd+I on macOS. It's useful for nuances, subtext, or clarifications that aren't the core of the message but do provide context.
When you need to indicate that something has become obsolete, try the strikethrough: put a tilde (the accent mark on the ñ: ~) at the beginning and end of the text, or use the shortcut Cmd+Shift+XYou'll see the content with a line through it, perfect for showing tasks that have changed or discarded decisions.
Slack also supports code snippets or preformatted textTo highlight a word as code, enclose it in a backtick: `like this`. If you want to paste multiple lines (for example, a snippet of log data, SQL, or pseudocode), use three backticks before and after on separate lines. The app will display it in a highly readable monospaced block.
Finally, you have the DatingIf you start a line with the > symbol, Slack creates a quoted block, which is very useful for responding to specific phrases or highlighting instructions that come from another person or external documentation.
Customize the look of Slack on Mac for a more comfortable work experience
You're going to spend many hours a day with Slack open, so Adjusting the design to suit your eyes and your way of working is almost mandatoryAlthough you can't change the background color of the messages, you can adjust the sidebar theme and overall contrast.
On the Mac desktop version, click on the Name of your workspace in the top left corner Then go to "Preferences." From there, in the Themes or "Sidebar" section, you can choose from several predefined color schemes. There are standard options and others optimized for people with protanopia or tritanopia, which is very useful if you want to improve the accessibility of the environment.
The conversation area maintains the same light or dark tone depending on your choice, but the sidebar adapts to the theme. That's why choosing a a color scheme that allows you to easily distinguish channels, mentions, and statuses without straining your eyes. Plus, at the bottom of the themes panel, you can always paste a set of custom hex codes to create your own palette.
If you work long hours, it's worth trying a dark mode or themes with less brightnessOn Mac Retina displays, a softer contrast significantly reduces eye strain later in the day. Keep in mind that these changes are purely local: each person can use their preferred theme without affecting the rest of the team.
Control notifications and Do Not Disturb mode to protect your focus
One of the key points to be more productive with Slack is Master notifications and cut out the noiseAnswering everything instantly is not synonymous with productivity; often it means just the opposite.
On Mac, look at the bell icon which appears next to the space's name in the app's top bar. If you click it, you'll see the option to activate it. do not disturb mode for a specific period: 20 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, or a full day. While it's active, even if someone mentions you or sends you a direct message, you won't receive any sound or pop-up notifications.
When you have this mode active, your status will include a few small “Z” indicating that you are unavailableThe bell icon will also be muted. You can resume notifications at any time by clicking again and selecting "Turn Off." It's ideal for deep concentration sessions or uninterrupted typing.
Beyond this, go to "Preferences > Notifications" to fine-tune what you pay attention to and what you don't.You can limit alerts to direct mentions and keywords, reduce or eliminate notifications from certain channels, or even define times when Slack won't bother you unless you receive a direct ping.
A very useful trick in large companies is mute channels that don't directly affect you But you need to keep them visible. Simply open the channel, open its options menu, and mark it as "Mute." You'll still be able to access and read it whenever you want, but the number of alerts will be drastically reduced.
Status, calendar, and presence: let everyone know if you're available
Avoiding misunderstandings about availability is key. Slack on Mac allows you to Your status will automatically show if you're in a meeting, on vacation, or focused.especially if you integrate it with your calendar.
From the desktop app, click on your profile picture and select the option to change your status. You'll see several typical templates (for example, "In a meeting" or "Out of the office"), but you can also write your own message and add a representative emoji, as well as decide when that status expires so it doesn't become outdated.
If you use Google Calendar or Outlook Calendaror do you usually coordinate video calls using tools from videoconferencing for MacYou can add these apps to your Slack space from a Mac. In the sidebar, open "Apps" (or "More" and then "Apps") and find the calendar you use. Once linked, you'll have the option to sync your status with events, so when you have a meeting scheduled, Slack will automatically change to something like "In a meeting" and pause some notifications.
Remember that Slack detects the inactivity on your MacIf you haven't touched the keyboard or mouse for a while, you'll appear as "away" to others, without you needing to do anything. As soon as you return and move the cursor or type, you'll reappear as active.
Channels, favorites, and pinned messages: organizing your workspace
To prevent Slack from becoming chaotic, it's essential Organize your channels well and highlight what you really need to have on hand.Think of channels as thematic threads that group together everything that happens about a project, area, or issue.
On the left side of the window you'll see your channels. You can Mark the most relevant ones as favorites Clicking the star icon below the channel or direct chat name will bring everything marked with this icon to the top of the sidebar, perfect for your main team channel, key projects, and direct messages with your manager.
If your company is large and you've been added to numerous groups, you'll want to review the options under "Preferences > Advanced". There's a channel list setting called «My unreads, along with everything I've starred» It shows in the sidebar only what's unread and what's starred. A lifesaver for reducing clutter.
In many cases, it is advisable create a welcome channel for new membersOn a Mac, click "Add channel" or the + symbol next to the "Channels" heading. Give it a clear name like "Welcome" or "Onboarding" and pin documents such as guidelines, Slack user guides, links to internal tools, and any other essential resources to the top. This way, everyone who joins has a unique place to start without cluttering the main channel.
Don't forget that you can pin important messages within any channelHover your cursor over the relevant message (shared passwords, instructions, agreements, links to critical folders) and use the pin option. You can then access that collection of pinned messages from the channel menu without having to scroll endlessly.
Threads, direct messages, and mentions: conversing without cluttering up
Slack offers three basic communication channels: messages in channels, threads, and direct messagesKnowing when to use each one saves you rivers of scrolling and misunderstandings.
When you want to reply to a specific message without flooding the main channel, click "Reply in thread." A side panel will open with that particular conversation. There, you can continue discussing the topic without the channel looking like a wall of disjointed messages. If you think the rest of the channel should see your reply, select the option to also post it to the main channel.
The direct messages They're ideal for one-on-one conversations, personal feedback, quick questions, or sensitive topics that wouldn't fit in a public channel. You can start them from the "Direct Messages" section or by using the shortcut. Cmd+K to open the quick search and type the person's name.
If you want to be even more agile, you can write on any channel. /msg @username followed by your messageWith that command, Slack will create or directly open a private message with that person from your current location, without having to search for them first.
As for the mentionsYou have three special commands that should be used judiciously: @channel (notifies everyone in the channel, whether they're online or not), @here (notifies only those who are online in that channel at that moment), and @everyone, which notifies the entire workspace and is usually only allowed in the #general channel. It's sensible to use them only when it's absolutely necessary for everyone to be informed.
GIFs, custom emojis, and reactions to communicate better (and not just to be funny)
Slack is undoubtedly a professional tool, but that doesn't mean it has to be extremely serious. Using GIFs and emojis intelligently helps to communicate faster and maintain a good atmosphere without losing focus.
If your space has the app integrated into GIPHYYou can type the command in the text box /giphy followed by the keywordFor example: /giphy I don't believe it or /giphy crying. You'll see a preview just for you with a related GIF. If it fits, press "Send"; if not, "Shuffle" to try another one. This way you avoid searching for GIFs on external websites and pasting them manually.
Furthermore, Slack acknowledges hexadecimal color codesIf you send a message containing, for example, #FF0000 or #00FF7F (with all six digits spelled correctly), the app will display a box in that shade. It's a very practical trick if you work in design, branding, or interface development and want to visually specify the color you're referring to.
Another strong point is the custom emojisTo add your own emojis, click on the workspace name, go to "Customize Slack," and then to the "Emoji" tab. From there, you can upload images as long as they don't exceed 128 pixels in height or width and 64 KB in size, and assign them a name like :team_party: or :ok_boss:. From then on, anyone in the workspace will be able to use them in messages and reactions.
To react quickly to a message without filling the channel with "ok" and "perfect", hover over it and add a reaction with emojiVery often, a thumbs up or a checkmark is enough to let the other person know that you have seen the information and agree, without interrupting the flow of conversation.
Reminders, personal notes, and Slackbot: Let Slack work for you
Slack includes its own assistant, slackbotIn addition to answering some basic questions, it can help you remember important things thanks to its reminders. This, combined with a little discipline, turns the app into a lightweight, pseudo-task manager.
To create a quick reminder, type the command in any channel or in a direct message to Slackbot. /remember or /remind (depending on the language of your space) followed by the action, the recipient, and the time. For example: /remind @maria to send the report without fail tomorrow at 10 or /remind #marketing to review the campaign in 3 hours.
Slack will interpret the phrase and ask you, if necessary, to confirm the exact date or the recurrenceYou can choose options such as "in 20 minutes", "tomorrow", "next week" or "repeating" for periodic reminders (e.g., every Friday at 14:00 PM congratulate the team on their progress).
It's also very useful to use Slack as a personal notebookIf you prefer an alternative, consult the Comparison of note-taking and collaboration apps for MacSimply send yourself messages from the direct messages section (Slack creates a private thread for you). There you can jot down ideas, links, quick notes, or draft messages that you'll later send to a general channel, without cluttering up shared groups.
If you want to go a step further, from the "Customize Slack" section you can create Slackbot automated responsesWhen someone types certain words or phrases, the bot will respond with useful information or a message you define. It can be used for serious matters (for example, reminding someone who asks "WiFi" in a channel of their WiFi password) or to add a fun touch to celebrations or inside jokes.
Search like a pro: find anything in seconds
When you've been using Slack for months, the channels accumulate so many messages that you either master the search function or You end up asking the same thing every two days.The good news is that Slack's search engine is much more powerful than it seems.
On Mac, you can open search with Cmd+F in the current window or use the search box at the top. From there, enter keywords and combine them with advanced operators:
- from:Filter by author. Example: from:@ana budget
- in:Limit the search to a specific channel. Example: in:#sales report
- have:It is used to search for messages that you sent to someone or to a specific channel.
- before:y after:They are limited by relative dates (yesterday, today) or specific dates.
- during:retrieves messages during a specific day, month, or year.
- you have:Look for messages that contain specific elements: star, link, pin, or reaction.
If you remember more or less when was something discussed, on what channel, and who said itUsing two or three of these filters, you can find almost anything in a few seconds. It's much more efficient than scrolling or relying on someone else's memory.
Essential keyboard shortcuts in Slack for Mac
If you really want to get fast in Slack, there comes a point where the mouse falls shortOn a Mac, keyboard shortcuts are a huge advantage when you're constantly jumping between channels, replying to threads, and checking pending items.
Balance Command + / Within the app, you'll find the complete list of available shortcuts. It might seem overwhelming at first, but you don't need to memorize them all. Start with a few handy ones: Cmd+K to quickly change the channel or person, Cmd +, to open preferences and Escape to mark everything as read.
Other quite useful shortcuts on Mac are: Cmd + Shift + A to see only your unread messages, Cmd + Shift + S to open your saved or starred messages, and the combinations with Alt/Option plus arrows to jump between conversations without having to constantly return to the sidebar.
To edit the last message you sentSimply tap the up arrow in the text box, correct the content, and press Enter again. And if you want to react quickly to the last message with a specific emoji, combine typing the emoji code with the Tab key to autocomplete it.
The key is to choose three to five shortcuts that you use several times each day and force yourself to use them for a week. Once they are automated, the time savings are enormous.especially if you have a habit of checking Slack many times throughout the day.
Surveys, polls, and quick decisions with Slack
Making team decisions through Slack can be a nightmare if everyone responds with a paragraph. It's much better to rely on... simple voting using polls or reactions.
The most basic way is to write a message with the question and several options, and assign an emoji to each alternativeFor example, three restaurants to eat at: reactions with :one:, :two: and :three:. Indicate in the message itself how to vote and let each channel member add the corresponding reaction.
If your space has a survey app installed, such as /pollYou can generate a more structured poll directly from the message box. Type /poll, configure the question and answers, and let the integration create the interactive poll block.
For small internal decisions (button color, preferred meeting date, logo choice, etc.) this system avoids endless chains of messages. At a glance you'll see which option wins.and you can move on without wasting half the morning.
Key integrations in Slack: Google Drive, Google Calendar, Outlook, and more
Slack becomes much more powerful when you connect it with the tools you already use daily. On a Mac, the The most typical integrations are usually with Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Outlook CalendarBut the app catalog is huge.
When you share a Google Drive or Google Doc link in a channel, Slackbot usually asks if you want to Connect your Google accountAccept, log in, and grant permissions; if you work with services from cloud storage for MacYou'll find this especially useful. From then on, every time you paste a link to a Doc, Sheet, or Slide, Slack will generate a preview with the title, file type, and sometimes even a short excerpt.
This allows you quickly identify which file it is without having to open it in the browser each time. Furthermore, notifications of changes or access permissions can be sent directly to the appropriate channel, keeping everyone involved informed without emails in between.
Similarly, by integrating Google Calendar or Outlook, Slack can notify you in real time of upcoming meetings, changes to appointments or cancellations, and update your status to reflect that you are busy. You'll never miss a video call again because you're not paying attention. And the rest of the team understands why you don't always respond instantly.
Beyond Google, Slack's app directory includes hundreds of pieces for connecting with services like Asana, Trello, Miro, Workast, Stripe, DeployBot, or even automation tools like IFTTT or Zapier. Each integration you add should be carefully considered. reduces repetitive manual tasks and centralizes notifications that were previously scattered across email, browser tabs, and other apps.
Order, focus, and good etiquette: the human side of using Slack on Mac
No matter how much automation you add, if the human element fails, Slack will end up being a cesspool of messages. There are a few basic rules of etiquette and organization that make a big difference.
First, try to maintain each channel focused on its themeIf you're in customer support, it's not the best place to discuss the company dinner; for that, there are channels like random or social media. This simple step prevents important information from getting lost in unrelated conversations.
Second, use the @mentions with moderationTagging someone forces a notification; if you mention an entire channel with @channel or @here for something that doesn't warrant it, it's easy for people to end up muting the group or mentally tuning out.
The function "Do Not Disturb" and Custom Statuses They were invented for a reason: respect them. If you see someone with the moon icon or a message saying "deeply focused" or "off-hours," try not to expect an immediate response. And if you need some focus, don't hesitate to activate it and make it clear.
Finally, be concise and clear. A well-written message, with bold text for key points, clean formatting, and explained linksIt saves you from having to ask follow-up questions. And if you're really busy and can't reply in detail, it's very helpful to leave a short message like "I'll read it later and get back to you when I have time," along with a reminder for yourself. That way, no one is left wondering if you've seen the conversation.
Using Slack on a Mac to be more productive isn't about discovering a hidden magic trick, but about gradually adding small improvements: formatting messages properly so they're easy to understand, taming notifications with Do Not Disturb mode, organizing channels and favorites, using threads to maintain context, taking advantage of Slackbot and reminders, searching with filters instead of endless scrolling, using keyboard shortcuts, and leveraging integrations that connect Slack with the rest of your tools. When all these pieces fall into place, the feeling of constantly putting out fires gives way to having a digital workspace where Conversations flow smoothly, information is easy to find, and your time is used much more efficiently..